the beach

the beach 
a theme written about so often
that it may seem overdone
boring, even
who doesn’t like the beach?

but the beach is so much more
than poems 
so much more than pictures 
it is a feeling 
waking up
and running outside, barefoot
it doesn’t matter that the path to the beach is rough
because the sand will be smooth
and the water cold and soothing

feet pounding
heart beating
a little bit of grogginess still left over
from the sleep you were in
mere minutes ago
before you woke up and realized 
that you were at the beach

the air smells salty
and you can feel it in your hair
the seagulls call
and so does the surf
until, finally, you are there
the sun just coming up over the horizon
the water calmly lapping
you feel free, at peace, and you know 
that nothing has ever been this good, will ever be this good
until you are at the beach once more